Kathmandu: Greece’s ruling New Democracy party has won national elections but fell just short of the threshold needed to form a government.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis New Democracy party were heading for almost 41% of the vote, five seats short of a majority. With 92% of results counted, Mr Mitsotakis’s party was set to win 145 seats, five seats short of the 150 required for a majority.
In a statement, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his conservative party had unleashed a political earthquake with a thumping win but hinted that he would seek another election in order to secure an absolute majority that would allow the party to govern alone.
Now, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will give the top three parties – New Democracy, Syriza and the Socialist PASOK – three days each in turn to form a coalition government. If they all fail, President Sakellaropoulou will appoint a caretaker government to prepare new elections about a month later.
Sunday’s election is the first in Greece since its economy ceased being under strict supervision by international lenders who had provided bailout funds during the country’s nearly decade-long financial crisis.